She gestures to the other chairs by the table, and Sebastian and I don’t hesitate. Maeve watches us while we eat, and I can’t help it. My grip on my talent slips, and her thoughts open to me again.
A boy and a girl, just like my children…
I glance away, seeing the melancholy shine in her eyes. She must have lost her children. Just like we lost our parents. What an awful thing. All of us, missing little pieces of our lives.
Maeve straightens up and smooths her skirts. “So, where are you two headed? And where is your family?”
I realize she must assume we’re brother and sister. “Oh, we’re not related. I’m”—I pause, considering how much to tell her—“an orphan. And I’ve been staying with Sebastian’s family. We’re headed to the Parillan Archives to see if we can locate any of my relatives.”
Let’s not tell her about our talents just yet, I think to Sebastian.
Good idea.
“And what about Sebastian’s family? Aren’t they traveling with you?”
“Well, they were.” My hands twist uncomfortably in my lap.
“We got separated,” Sebastian says. “My older sister is our guardian, and we don’t know where she is now.”
“But”—I glance at Sebastian—“she’s supposed to meet us at the library.”
Sebastian stares at me, and I let my talent roam his mind. Are you sure we should hide our talents? She did help us, after all.
It’s just temporary. People act strangely when they find out that we’re talented, and I don’t want to share that yet.
That’s true. He stares at his hands.
“Are you two all right?” Maeve looks at us oddly.
I blink rapidly. She caught us talking between our minds. Of course we seem strange now. Just what I’d hoped to avoid.
“Have you lived here long?” I ask, changing the subject instead of answering her question.
Maeve’s eyes widen. “This ramshackle place? Goodness, no. I was passing through, and this seemed like as good a place as any to stop for the night.”
Sebastian frowns. “No one lives here?”
“Not as far as I can tell.” She shrugs. “There is an extra room with two little beds. I’m guessing you could use a place to spend the night. I’d be happy to share this shack with you.”
My heart speeds up. Maeve seems so nice. And it would be such a relief to let an adult take the lead again, even just for a little while. Staying focused through fear is exhausting. I feel Sebastian’s thoughts mirror my own.
“Yes, please,” I say.
“Thank you,” Sebastian adds. Drat. Sometimes I don’t quite remember my manners right.
“Of course,” Maeve says. She pats my shoulder with a wistful expression, her finger catching for a moment on one of my long, tangled white locks. While she maintains a calm exterior, there’s an undercurrent of sadness in every move she makes. It makes me want to reach out and hug her, though that would be too bold, even for me.
“Where are you headed?” Sebastian asks.
Maeve considers as she pulls out some food for herself. “I hardly even know. You see, my family is missing too.”
Sebastian gasps. “That’s terrible.”
Her forehead creases. “I had a husband and three children, a boy and two girls. But I don’t know where they are.”
I frown. “But when did you lose them?”
“Years ago. I’ve been searching for them ever since. Traveling through the three territories, hoping for some sign of them.”
I finish my chicken and wipe my mouth with my sleeve. “What happened?”
Sebastian gives me a short look. That’s a little rude to ask…
But Maeve doesn’t think worse of me for it. If anything, her thoughts of us grow fonder by the minute.
“I don’t really know. One day they were there, and the next, I was alone.”
“Do you know who stole them?” I’m exhausted, and my mouth is asking questions before my brain can think better of it. I’m lucky Maeve is patient.
She sets down the last bite of her bread. She stares at it for a long moment, then shakes herself out of the funk.
“Yes and no.” She sighs. “I tracked down the person who took them. But no one knows where they ended up after they left the culprit’s hands. They could be anywhere.”
Maeve finishes eating and stands. The moon rose outside the windows while we talked, and she lights a couple of candles, giving one to us.
“I don’t know about you, but I’m exhausted from the day’s journey. I’m going to bed. The room for you two is just down the hall.”
We wish her good night, then gather our meager belongings and head to the small chamber at the back of the shack. There are two cots set out, and the blankets are only a little dusty. A quick shake remedies that.
When I rest my head on the pillow, the full extent of my exhaustion begins to set in like a lead weight on my chest.
These are much better accommodations than what we had last night, Sebastian thinks. I startle; I didn’t even realize my talent was loose.
But I smile at him across the space between our cots. Much better indeed.
He yawns and rolls over, worries about his sister and the looming body walker circling through his mind. I leave his thoughts to him and let my talent wander elsewhere. The night is still, though wild animals roam the forest. Bats hunting insects fly overhead, while a pack of wolves chases a deer who is nearly as tired as me and Sebastian. I yank my talent away from them and linger on the other creatures instead. Owls, raccoons, and opossums skitter among the trees, their trundling thoughts creating a warm background noise that I can’t help finding soothing.
I drift off to sleep, lulled by visions of delicious insects and little ones whining to be fed.
• • •
In the morning, I’m woken by Sebastian’s startled thoughts.
Where am I? Quickly followed by memories of the night before and meeting Maeve.
I sit straight up on my cot. “Thanks a lot,” I say, then laugh.
Sebastian rubs his eyes sheepishly. “Sorry. It’s hard to sleep. And waking up somewhere other than home or…” His voice trails off.
“I know. It’s still confusing for me too sometimes.”
He nods but says no more, and I keep my magic out of his head. I already know what he’s feeling. I feel the same way.
We dress quickly and quietly, then make our way into the main part of the little house. Maeve is at the stove, cooking what smells like the most delicious scrambled eggs in the world. My belly rumbles. Who knew being on the run could leave one so hungry all the time?
Maeve brightens when she sees us. “Come, sit. I thought I’d make breakfast. It’s much nicer to eat with friends.” She pauses. “We are friends, aren’t we? I don’t mean to presume.”
My face flushes at the unexpected declaration. I don’t know that I’ve ever had a real friend besides Sebastian. Perhaps some of the other of the Lady’s servants could be considered my friends, like Kalia the dream eater or Melanthe the mind mover, but no one was ever as close to me as Sebastian.
“Yes, I…I think we are.”
A smile dances over Sebastian’s face. “Friends it is,” he agrees.
“Oh good. Here you are.” Maeve puts a plate heaped with scrambled eggs and toasted bread in front of each of us.
The food is as delicious as it smells, and we waste no time digging in.
Maeve watches us while we eat, with an expression that sends my gut aflutter. The emotion behind it is something I know I felt long ago, but the memory itself is impossible to grasp.
“You still intend to go to the Parillan Archives?” Maeve asks.
I nod between bites. Sebastian kicks the leg of the table and sighs. “Yes, but it’s not going to be easy,” he says.
&nbs
p; Maeve raises an eyebrow. “And why is that?”
“We know it’s in Parilla, somewhere near the center. But that’s about it. My sister was the one who knew the way.”
I put my fork down. I had almost forgotten that unpleasant detail. It seemed like such a good idea until that whole bit.
“That will make things more difficult,” Maeve agrees.
“And we aren’t entirely sure where we are now either,” Sebastian adds, glummer than before.
I scrunch my face. “Do you know where we are?”
Maeve laughs. “Yes, I do. I think I can help you with both problems, actually, and you can help me too.”
My eyes widen. “How?”
“I know where we are, for one, and two, I happen to be carrying a map, so I can help you find the Parillan Archives.”
“That would be amazing!” Sebastian cries.
“But how can we help you?” I ask.
Maeve’s smile falters. “The truth is, I’m lonely. It’s been rather depressing searching for my family alone. But the three of us, we have a common goal. There’s something powerful in that. And the Archives might hold the key to finding my family too.”
For a moment I am unable to believe our good luck. But then I let my talent dip into Maeve’s thoughts. They’re warm and hopeful, over the same familiar undercurrent of loss.
There’s no trace of a con or lie.
I give Sebastian a quick nod, and he grins.
“We’d love to travel with you,” I say. Relief floods over me. We’re safe. We have someone to protect us, someone to guide us on our journey.
We’re no longer alone.
Chapter Eight
Early the next morning, we leave the little shack behind along with the mystery of its missing owner. Maeve has decided we’ll stop by the first village we find to get enough supplies to feed all three of us. When I blurted out that we had no money for food, she laughed and told me that she was not without means and was happy to provide for us as long as we traveled together.
Maeve is kind and generous. She walks tall and proud like Lady Aisling did, but with none of her wickedness. None of her conceit.
For a time, I attempt to mimic her stride as we walk through the woods. The way she carries her head, her arms. But my legs are too short, and I can’t quite get my arms to swing in the same manner. Sebastian gives me a puzzled glance.
What are you doing?
I grin. I like the way Maeve walks. Like she’s strong and fearless. I want to walk like that too.
He nods, understanding. When you’ve spent years living in constant fear, surrounded by those who feel the same, it isn’t easy to walk tall, even after your fear is in the past. Maeve is undaunted. Calm and kind. Strong without cruelty. She’s everything Lady Aisling was not.
Her mind is more disciplined than most people’s too. Though I try hard to keep my talent in check, every once in a while I accidentally dip into her thoughts. But they remain the same: sadness and determination. And with a touch of lightness now that we’re all traveling together.
As we walk, Maeve tells us stories of her journey.
“Did you know that there are trees in Abbacho as big as a small mountain? I found an entire grove while I searched there for my children. People reside in them too. One even has a house carved out of the living wood, way high up in the branches.” Her face is animated, and her auburn hair shimmers while she speaks.
I laugh. “That sounds impossible. I can’t even picture it.”
But Sebastian sobers next to me. I’ve been there once, he thinks. I quickly stop laughing. I know precisely what he was doing there. He doesn’t have the luxury of forgetting like the rest of us did.
“Well, it is quite a sight to see. If you ever find yourself in Abbacho, I highly recommend seeking it out.”
Sebastian stares at his shoes. I miss Jemma. She should be here with us.
My thoughts worm into his mind. Don’t worry. Your sister will meet us at the library. Then everything can go back to normal.
He flashes me a half smile, and I leave his thoughts in peace.
“How do you think they grew so big?” I ask Maeve.
“I have no idea. I didn’t think to stop and ask them,” she says with a wink, making me laugh.
“What else have you seen?”
“Many things, child. So many things.” For a moment, a serious expression flits over Maeve’s face, but it’s quickly replaced with a smile. “One of my other favorites was a jungle, deep in the reaches of Abbacho. All sorts of strange flora and fauna abound there. It was one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been.”
Sebastian frowns. “Isn’t the jungle supposed to be dangerous?”
“Oh, very. Snakes as thick as tree trunks, wildcats that can blend in so well you’d never see them until you were their supper. Even the plants might try to eat you. But sometimes the most dangerous things are also the most beautiful.”
Maeve is right. Lady Aisling was once the most beautiful woman I’d ever met, but undoubtedly the most dangerous. I shudder. I wish I could ban all thought of the Lady from my head and just live as though she’d never stolen my life from me. Sometimes I’ve thought about asking Sebastian to remove all memories of my time in Zinnia, not just the really bad ones.
But if I didn’t have those memories, I really would have nothing at all. Even though the scattered memories I have of my time under the Lady’s thumb are unpleasant, they’re still better than nothing.
Soon the trees begin to thin out, and signs of civilization appear. It isn’t long before we find ourselves on a cobbled road and can just make out the rooftops of a village in the distance.
My stomach rumbles. While Maeve has kept us fed, I’m looking forward to not having to ration what she has left among the three of us. Sebastian is thinking the same thing.
“Almost there,” Maeve says, a heady sort of anticipation trilling over her that I can’t help but feel too. I pull my talent back. I don’t want to be rude.
The closer we get to the village, the louder all the minds become. My hold on my magic is as tight as possible; otherwise, I could become overwhelmed quickly.
The village is small and quaint, and people smile at us as we make our way to the center where the shops are likely to be. The constant hum of thoughts buzzes around my head, but I breathe deeply and let it flow past me as best I can. Somewhere, someone is playing music on a stringed instrument, the notes dancing with those from a flute. I keep my thoughts focused on that as my feet skip along of their own accord after Maeve.
“Hold on, little one,” Maeve says, a firm hand on my shoulder. She stops at a shop entrance—a grocer’s—and I nearly dance right by. But she just smiles. “There will be plenty of time for dancing later, I promise.”
Maeve isn’t put off my outbursts of strangeness, which is a relief. We enter the grocer’s shop, and she quickly purchases some food. She even lets us each pick out a sweet from the cabinet on the counter.
“Where are you folks headed?” asks the grocer, a short old man wearing a blue apron.
“The Parillan Archives,” Maeve says. “It’s in the mountains just over the plains beyond your village, isn’t it?”
The grocer nods, then narrows his eyes at us. “It is. Though good luck getting in there. They’re serious folks and rather picky about who they let within their walls.”
“Oh, I’m sure we can convince them. We’re researching her family line.” She places her hands on my shoulders. “And I’m certain they will find it to be an intriguing mission.”
The grocer hands Maeve her change and shrugs. “Well, best of luck to you then.” He watches us as we leave, and I can’t help but glance back and take a quick peek at his thoughts.
Poor folks. I hope they don’t have their hearts too set on the library. I can’t imagine them succeeding…
I nearly trip over the step leaving the shop. He seems certain, but then again so does Maeve. She holds her hand out to me and helps me stay upright. I squeeze her fingers in thanks, and we move on.
I trust Maeve. She knows what she’s doing. And I’m sure she won’t lead us astray.
Chapter Nine
I awake the next morning determined. I’ve decided that I must be honest with Maeve: I have to tell her the truth about who I am and why I’m seeking the Parillan Archives. She’ll find out sooner or later. Once we get there and I have to explain exactly what information I’m searching for, I won’t be able to hide why. The longer I hold off, the more insulted she’ll probably be.
I don’t want her to be hurt. And I especially don’t want her to leave us.
I just hope she doesn’t feel the same distaste for the talented that too many others do. Sebastian knows my plan but remains undecided if he will share his role just yet. I can tell my secret just fine without revealing his.
The morning sun spills over the mountains in the distance, alighting on our small camp on the grassy plains. Maeve yawns from her bedroll and stretches. My heart lurches into my stomach.
I must do this now before I lose my nerve.
My feet carry me to her side before I can think better of it. When I kneel next to her, Maeve tilts her head.
“Good morning, little one. You look so serious today.”
My mouth opens, but nothing comes out. Maeve sits up straighter, concern clear on her face.
“What’s the matter, Simone?”
I shake my head and try to speak again, this time with more success. “Nothing’s wrong. I need to tell you something.” My throat has grown rougher than burlap, but I clear it the best I can.
Maeve sits all the way up and faces me. “Go on.”
My hands twist together, and I stare at them while words pour from my mouth. “I haven’t been completely honest with you about why I’m going to the library.”
“All right,” she says, her face unreadable. My talent remains under a tight grip. I don’t think I should let myself read her mind yet.
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